


All Tied Up

by PlutoApologist



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 02:12:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19122490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlutoApologist/pseuds/PlutoApologist
Summary: While the last thing Emma and Alyssa need is more people to add drama into their lives, perhaps their furry friends can bring them love instead.





	All Tied Up

Alyssa hated being pushed into things from the depths of her very carefully guarded soul, but here she was being literally pushed into the arms of a beautiful woman by her jumbo-sized dog. 

It didn’t help that she was as gay as the month of June on steroids. 

Alyssa flushed deep red, unable to keep her eyes from the woman’s chocolate brown eyes. It was like looking into the sun, she couldn’t look too long, or she would be burned. With a tug, Alyssa felt her knees knock into the other woman. She looked down to find a dopey faced pug circling a leash around their legs. 

“Ty, stop.” Her voice was a warm amber, and Alyssa was a bug trapped in it. She raised her voice, scolding the dog once more, raising Alyssa’s temperature alarmingly fast. The mystery woman looked at Alyssa, eyes soft and every cell in her body fought, the ache to stay in this woman’s arms currently winning against the possibility of combusting. “Shit, I am so sorry. Ty is normally so well behaved. I just got back from a long vacation and I think he’s mad at me.”

They laughed together, slightly out of sync and her eyes sparkled, like the sun playing on the water next to them. She made Alyssa’s heart skip a beat. She only hoped their heart’s syncopations could match someday. Now was an unfortunate time for Alyssa to notice a hint of a tattoo peeking out of cute girl’s shirt. Screaming now would be inappropriate, but god damn if Alyssa didn’t want to scream a thank you to the heavens. 

“I’m Emma, by the way.” Alyssa reached out her hand, finding nothing but empty air. Alyssa quickly brought her hand back her hand, looking down at her feet. 

“I’m not this clumsy normally,” Alyssa swore, growing redder by the second. Emma stuck out her hand and she gratefully reached for it. Alyssa wished for anything, anything at all to fill the silence. “Maybe we should have done a high five instead.”

“I’m Aly- Mouse, no!” With a splash, they landed in the small pond next to the path. Alyssa grumbled, pushing herself up. The leash that had tied Emma and Alyssa together was now lying still, having lost it’s nefarious (heavenly) purposes. She shot a glare at Mouse, innocently wagging his tail, besides Emma’s pug. Even wet, Emma’s blonde hair was beautiful. 

“Do you see my glasses anywhere? I think they fell when we got pushed- honestly I don’t know how we ended up in here I just need to see.” Emma felt around the muddy bank. Alyssa snapped to attention. This beautiful, funny, awkward woman needed her help. Alyssa felt blindly, taking her hand away like the water was oil when her hand found Emma’s. She busied herself searching in the opposite direction. God, why did she have to be so useless. Maybe coming out wasn’t the hardest part of a lesbian because helpful words weren’t coming to her mouth right now. Her brain was mush and she was not about to flirt sopping wet, her brain turned to mush, with a blind awkward woman who had the fashion sense of someone who only knew how to accessorize with flannels. God, Alyssa was fucked.

Next to a rock and a frog that hopped away when Alyssa touched it, Alyssa felt a wire frame. She picked it up delicately and tapped Emma on the shoulder. She hoped she didn’t look too desperate to get in her good graces. 

“Thank you, Aly- stranger,” Emma corrected herself, making a face at her glasses. Alyssa picked herself up, squeezing the water out of her now ruined hair. “You look fine, by the way.”

Alyssa raised her eyebrows and put out a hand for Emma to take. Emma took it gratefully, biting her lip thoughtfully. Stay calm Alyssa, you don’t know the first thing about her. She could be a murderer for all she knew. Or worse. Straight. 

“Not like fine, fine, you know. Just not like a drowned rat,” Emma added on desperately. Despite the sun shooting rays across the pond, the day got a little darker. “You never got to finish telling me your name.”

“Alyssa,” she grunted, taking a step out of the mud and onto the pavement, grabbing a hold of her treacherous dog’s leash. Emma looked like a goddess stepping out of the pond, her flannel doing a sad soggy wave behind her like a flag. Emma grabbed Ty’s leash with a few quiet stern words to the sorry pug. She relaxed, seeing the small intimate moment. A few small constellations burst into being in Alyssa’s eyes. “My name’s Alyssa.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m glad I got wet, but I can say that I am glad I met you. I’m sure Ty here is really sorry.” Emma pitched her voice, getting a small whine from Ty. Alyssa hid a chuckle behind her hands, which now resembled somewhat of a swamp monster. Emma brushed her hands against Alyssa’s and the green mess that was on her hands fell along with her dignity. 

“What’s his name?” Alyssa said gesturing, at the dorky pug. Ty carefully sniffed Mouse’s paws, his small body shaking.

“Tyrannosaurus Rex.” 

“Oh my god, Emma- “

“I was young and a dinosaur nerd.” Emma ran a hand through her hair and scuffed a weed poking through the sidewalk with her boot. “My grandma told me not to and I was too dumb to listen. I-ugh- you’re like the first person I’ve told.”

Alyssa let a smile shine through, her hand stopped halfway through wiping off her running mascara. She motioned to herself, smiling when Emma nodded her affirmation. She was already a ray of sunshine in Alyssa’s life and she had known her for all of five minutes.

“Your secret’s safe with me. Although I am judging you.” As they checked the state of their phones and general self, a tranquil silence descended over them like a welcoming mist. Mouse lay down peacefully, the small dog still shaking in his presence. Alyssa groaned, when her mom’s familiar notification invaded the peace. 

“Why does she have to ruin everything?” Alyssa grumbled, under her breath, formulating a response in her head. She didn’t even want to go to her mom’s party in the first place. Running for mayor was a tiring task, even for family of the candidates. It was especially tiring when you were the personification of gay panic and your mom was running a vaguely homophobic campaign. Emma looked over with worry and her soft penetrating gaze pried the answer from the locked box that was her issues with her mom. 

“My mom wants me to come over early for a party, even though she’s just going to hate what I do and well…” Alyssa raised her arms, water still dripping from her dress. 

“You are pretty wet.” Alyssa shook her head stifling a laugh. She said it so innocently that Alyssa’s heart was spinning out of control. “You can come to my place! It’s really close.”

“I hardly know you…” Mouse barked, vocalizing his agreement with his owner. 

“You can have pepper spray out the whole time. I’ll even give you mine. Please don’t use it though.” Alyssa was logical at her core, thanks to her mother’s fantastically unemotional upbringing, but her heartstrings just begged for someone to make music with. Alyssa hadn’t had much harmony in her life and she had a good feeling about Emma. For once in her life, she could go off her feelings instead of being “good”. 

“I’ll come. No need for the pepper spray though,” Alyssa laughed. Emma hummed happily under her breath and pulled Ty up. 

“It’s just this way.” The walk to her apartment was peaceful, considering what had just happened. Strangely, Ty and Mouse walked perfectly the whole way back. It almost made Alyssa think that they had conspired to get them in the pond. Alyssa filled most of the way there with babble and dumb things she had heard from her friends. 

“Shelby said what?” Emma stopped with her mouth open, the key still in the door.

“Yes, Nick said aliens were conspiring with the government,” Alyssa said breathlessly, though laughter. Emma leaned on the door for support, laughs wracking her body. Alyssa’s skin tingled where Emma leaned close to her. “I’m still not one hundred percent he knows that’s not true.”

“What a dumbass.” Emma recovered from her laughter and turned the key. Alyssa scanned for any evidence of her being gay. The flannels were her first piece of evidence. She just needed more supporting evidence. She quickly scurried inside, realizing her detective work had her standing in the middle of the doorway for no reason. “Dumb straight men are part of the reason I’m not straight.”

Alyssa froze in place, Emma going about her business like she hadn’t just shook her whole life. Mouse tugged her further inside, stopping her stupor. 

Second piece of evidence: Emma said she wasn’t straight.

Emma tapped Alyssa on the shoulder, a towel in hand. Alyssa held it by a corner, her brain still starting up again.

“You can stay wet if you want, but if you put the towel on your clothes, they could get dry,” Emma chuckled, part of what she said being muffled by her rubbing the towel on her face. Alyssa let Mouse go and started drying herself. 

“Can Mouse go on the furniture?” Emma nodded yes, stifling laughter. 

“What’s so funny?” Alyssa peered at her, her head cocked, still toweling her hair. 

“Mouse?” Emma squeaked. 

“Alright, I was dumb, crucify me.” Alyssa raised her arms, her eyes crinkling.

“You’re gonna get more water on my floor.” Emma flicked her towel toward Alyssa, and she put her hands down, wearing the cockiest smirk she had ever Emma had seen. Ty jumped to grab her towel and Emma gave him a stern look. He padded off to his dog bed and settled in. 

“You can grab some of my clothes for the party if you want. If you still want to go that is.” Alyssa sighed and ran her fingers down her face, looking at the smeared mascara on them. She would love to stay here with Emma, but Alyssa never broke promises to her mom anymore. She had learned that her mother’s disappointment that made her feel like she was an ant shrinking under a magnifying glass. 

“I think I will go. Do you have anything fancy? My mother’s…picky.”

“Probably. You can check in my bedroom.” Just like that, Emma set off with the two towels in hand, as if it wasn’t a minor miracle that she was in a girl’s bedroom that wasn’t related to her. Not that they were dating or would ever date, even if her heartstrings yearned for someone to join them. Someone like Emma, who was kind and funny. 

“The dresses I own are from years ago, I don’t know if they’ll fit. How fancy is fancy?”

“Campaign party fancy,” Alyssa sighed, plopping down on the sheets, playing with her hands. She wished she could have painted her fingernails rainbows colors, but apparently, that wasn’t “classy enough” for her mom’s party. That of course meant, it was code for “too gay”. She wished her mom had stuck to an overprotective PTA mom instead of becoming the very image of mayoral candidacy. Then, Alyssa could have a life. Once people knew who her mom was, the friendship was over. No one wanted to be friends with Karen Greene’s perfect daughter, devoid of any personality but being a helpful and supportive daughter. At least she had the perfect afternoon with Emma before she was back to the lonely, perfect specimen.

Emma glanced slowly over. Alyssa felt her gaze burn but didn’t look up. She always knew she was a coward, but she was constantly disappointed when her courage fled her. 

“Campaign?” Emma shrunk and turned back to her closet. “The next time it spoke it was like she had muted her true self. She pipped up fake cheerily, holding a blue dress with sparkles at the bottom. “This might fit you.”

“Emma, I’m not…” Straight? Like her? Obsessed with image? Alyssa sighed and plastered on a fake smile. “…. that small. I don’t think that will fit.”

Emma put it away with a shrug. Alyssa walked over and pulled out a red jacket, a black top and plaid pants. Emma leaned on the wall next to the closet, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m not sure what your mother is like, but that’s kind of…”

“Gay? I don’t really have any other options. Someone pushed me into a pond.” Emma laughed, but there was no humor behind her eyes. There had been a spark of hope, but it fizzled out. Besides, this had to be the one and only Alyssa Greene, the daughter of her grandma’s competitor. She couldn’t bring drama into her grandma’s already tense campaign.

“Yeah, I guess I’m a mess.” Emma turned around at her voice, looking at mirror Alyssa instead into Alyssa’s face. Alyssa already missed Emma’s smile.

“Oh, a hot mess. But that’s what gave Mouse a new friend.” Alyssa gestured to Ty sitting patiently while Mouse sniffed around him, his tail going a mile a minute. It was almost comical, like an elf sitting next to a giant. “And hopefully gave me a new friend? I’d like to hang out more, if you’re okay with that.”

“Yeah, that’d be nice.” Emma let a slight smile grace the room. She wasn’t being irresponsible if she crushed the her fascination with Alyssa into dust beneath her feet, right?

Alyssa nearly had a heart attack when she got Emma’s number, even though Emma said it was just in case she got held up at the party. Still a win. Alyssa hesitated at the door, shifting anxiously. She could hear her mother yelling through the phone at someone. She had never been something that messed up her mother’s plans before. Her mom gave her a list of what colors she could wear for events, what length they could be, nothing could ever be up to her. What was never included on the list was anything “unladylike”. Alyssa took a deep breath and pushed through the door, channeling everything she had seen Brie Larson do. 

“Oh, Alyssa, thank god you’re here, the Petersons called and…” She looked up from the menu in front of her for the first time since she had entered. A sense of dread grew in the pit of Alyssa’s stomach as her mom slowly looked up, scanning her like she was one of her assets. “You can’t wear that. Why are you wearing that Alyssa?”

“I was walking Mouse and I fell into the pond. My dress got wet and I had to change into what a friend had. It’s no big deal.” Alyssa inhaled slowly, trying her best to keep her temper down. Alyssa Greene didn’t have a sparkling ember of anger; she had a dragon who could be set loose any moment. 

“No big deal?! People will walk through that door and see my daughter as someone who is…. unconventional. These people think of girls wearing dresses- “

“Mom, I graduated college, I have my own job. I’m not your little girl anymore. I’m my own woman.” She looked at Alyssa with a fiery anger, unfamiliar to the lines of her mom’s face. The anger twisted its way around her face, settling in. 

“I know that pet, but I have a job to do. I promised people things.” Alyssa shook her head and shot off a text to Emma. Her anger was threatening to rear up and Alyssa wouldn’t be caught dead showing her mom that side of her. 

“Have you ever considered that you promised people the wrong things. Have you thought about what you’re doing means to people?” 

“I am serving the people who were here from the beginning and whose values are- “ 

“No, mom. I don’t mean reciting your speech,” Alyssa angrily cut in, her hands tightening to a fist. The taller woman looked back at her daughter, concern and puzzlement on her face. She put a hand on her shoulder and put her hair behind her ear. 

“Alyssa, did I do something? Are you okay?” Alyssa stepped back like she’d been shocked. 

“Have you really looked at me ever since you started campaigning? Have you ever looked beyond my makeup or what I was wearing?” Alyssa crossed her arms against her chest. Every little scuffle of their feet could be heard. 

“I just want you to be happy. I’m trying to protect you from people judging. I don’t want you to have a hard life.”

“I don’t even know happy is anymore. I only know what it means to please you. The only time I can breathe is when I’m walking Mouse, who you didn’t even want me to get.” Alyssa took a step towards the door, only to be stopped by a gentle hand on her shoulder. Alyssa took a slow step backward, keeping her biting gaze on her mom the whole time.

“We can talk about this sweetie. I’ll cancel- “The doorbell rang, and she stood mouth open, torn between her daughter and her duties.

“Looks like your guests are coming. You’ll do fine without me,” Alyssa said, her tongue as sharp as a knife.

The uber home felt like it lasted forever and the whole time she yearned to be back with Mouse, burying her head in his fur. Her heart could have burst seeing Emma, attempting to throw popcorn into her mouth, Alyssa’s gigantic Mouse protecting her like a statue on her right and Ty sitting guard on her left. 

Perhaps she did know what happy was.


End file.
